


Easier In Theory

by LyriaBlackFrost



Series: Fic Requests [8]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Light-Hearted, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 22:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20496173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaBlackFrost/pseuds/LyriaBlackFrost
Summary: Yuuki is aware of his repressed feelings for Ryuji, but manages to keep them hidden inside his chest. In an attempt to gain some weight and improve his self-esteem, he asks to accompany his friend on his work out sessions, unaware of how much they would stimulate his imagination.





	Easier In Theory

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tiffycatblogs. Have you ever seen two boys _this_ dense? And it's so fun to write Yuuki getting flustered... Someone help his poor gay heart. Anyway, thanks for the request! :')
> 
> I hope you like it!

After a whole night of anxiety and rehearsing the words in his head, Yuuki finally gathered the courage to approach Ryuji during lunch, and make that request that had been haunting him for days.

“Next time you go to the gym, could you take me with you?”

Considering all of his past experiences, part of Yuuki expected Ryuji to laugh or mock him for that request. Instead, his friend nodded, flashing a wide, excited smile.

“Sure!” he said. “Whenever you want.”

“Really?” Yuuki sighed in relief.

“Yeah,” Ryuji shrugged. “At the gym I go to, you only pay on the days you use it, so you can give it a try without worryin’ about compromise and all that.”

His words helped Yuuki’s anxiety go down a little. As determined as he was to go through with that idea, he knew he wasn’t the greatest example of physical strength. Even during his time in the volleyball club, he…

Yuuki pressed his lips together, trying to push those unpleasant memories away from his mind. Ryuji’s voice soon brought his attention back to the present.

“Hey, if you don’t mind me askin’… Why did you decide to do this all of a sudden?”

He already expected Ryuji to ask that question, but it didn’t make the answer any easier to say.

“Don’t laugh, okay?” Yuuki asked in a low voice. “But I’m really… ashamed of my body. I’m already small, but being so skinny makes me look like a child,” he groaned. “A _sick_ child.”

He said that as a half-joke, but Ryuji didn’t seem to think it was funny.

“C’mon,” said Ryuji, “don’t be so harsh on yourself.”

“But it’s true!” insisted Yuuki. “I feel bad every time I take off my clothes. It’s just so… ugly.”

Ryuji frowned in clear disagreement.

“I _really_ don’t like the way you’re talkin’ about yourself…” He placed a hand on the back of his neck, letting out a heavy sigh. “But if workin’ out will make you feel better, then there’s no reason not to try, right? When is a good day for you?”

Glad that Ryuji didn’t prolong that subject, Yuuki gave his answer. They agreed to go to the gym on the next day, after class, when neither of them had any plans. Truth was, Yuuki knew he could do that by himself instead of dragging Ryuji along, but having his friend close always made him feel much less anxious than usual. Besides, if he tried to do something like that alone, he knew he would find an excuse to give up at the last moment.

He hadn’t expected, however, that his brain would short-circuit as soon as they arrived at the gym on the next day, when Ryuji took off his t-shirt, revealing a tank top that didn’t even try to hide the defined muscles underneath it. In a second, the only thing in Yuuki’s mind was how much Ryuji looked like some modernized depiction of the God Apollo, with that perfect figure, seeming as bright and hot as the sun.

Yuuki slapped his own cheeks. _Where had __**that **__thought come from?_

The sudden noise made Ryuji look at him, furrowing his brow.

“What the hell was that for?” he asked.

“I’m just…” Yuuki needed a second to find an answer. “Getting ready. Channeling my inner strength.”

“Did you really have to slap yourself for that?”

“I’ll panic if I don’t let it out.”

Ryuji observed him for a moment, twisting his lips.

“Don’t worry so much about it, dude…” he said. “It’s just some exercise.”

“Yes, and I haven’t done _that_ in months.”

His already defeated tone made Ryuji chuckle. He placed a hand on Yuuki’s head, ruffling his hair.

“Just try to relax, okay?” he said. “A lot of people come here every day, no one’s gonna pay attention to us. If you get nervous, just talk to me.”

Whenever Ryuji spoke in that gentle voice, Yuuki had this complex feeling, that included the urge to lie on the floor, roll around, cry, and — mostly — grab his friend and never let go.

“Okay,” he answered in a low voice.

To be honest, he knewhe had a growing crush on Ryuji, and there was a pesky part of his brain that was way too aware of how _nice _his friend was, and how _good _he looked, and made sure to squeal whenever Ryuji was around. It wasn’t too difficult to keep those thoughts hidden deep inside himself on their daily interactions, but in that situation… He would need to make an actual effort, to say the least.

They did a warm-up on the stationary bikes, then started their session together. Ryuji asked if Yuuki had something specific in mind, to which he denied. He decided that, for the time being, he would simply follow Ryuji around and make a much more pathetic version of whatever he chose to do.

Their first stop was at the leg press machines, and it immediately made Yuuki self-conscious of his weirdly shaped legs. It was like there was too much on the thighs and too little on everything else. Ryuji, on the other hand, was nothing like him. His legs were, as embarrassing as it could be to admit, nice to look at. Proportional, strong… Even that scar, visible under his shorts, couldn’t make them look bad.

The thought caused a dull pain in Yuuki’s chest. He liked to watch Ryuji run during their first year, when he was still part of the track team. Sometimes, Yuuki would rush himself after his volleyball training just so he could see it for a few minutes: faster than everyone else, with a focused expression and a bright smile on his face. When Yuuki thought about it, he wondered if his feelings already went beyond friendship at the time… He simply couldn’t tell. All he knew was that, every single day, he cursed Kamoshida for taking away those things they both cherished so much.

Yuuki brushed those thoughts away, focusing on his own exercise. He wasn’t using much weight, but the repetitive movements still made the back of his legs complain. After a while, he had no choice but to slow down a little, his attention accidentally shifting to the boy beside him.

He looked at the exact time Ryuji flexed his legs, and… Wow, that was an amazing sight. Maybe not as much as seeing him running, but still, it was difficult not to stare. There was a slight curiosity inside Yuuki’s head, questioning how it would feel to touch them, in a light caress that started at Ryuji’s calf and went up his thigh. Unfortunately, his thoughts only went up from there, and Yuuki quickly averted his gaze, focusing again on his own, sad attempts of doing that same exercise. By that point, his legs were already begging for mercy, and Yuuki couldn’t help but feel disappointed: he wasn’t _that_ weak when he was still in the volleyball team… As he thought, he was getting even worse than before, if such a thing was possible.

That thought made him look at Ryuji. Unlike him, he hadn’t used Kamoshida as an excuse to give up on everything… Despite the pain Yuuki knew he still felt from time to time, he kept going. That realization made Yuuki feel embarrassed of himself.

“Is something wrong?” asked Ryuji.

He only realized Ryuji had stopped when his friend already had all of his attention on him.

“Doesn’t it hurt when you do that?” he asked, gesturing at the machine.

Ryuji seemed slightly surprised by the question.

“No, not really,” he said. “As long as I don’t push it too far, I’m good.”

“I see.”

A light smile took Ryuji’s lips.

“Thanks for worryin’, though.”

Yuuki felt his heart bounce inside his chest. Before he could say anything to make things awkward, however, Ryuji proceeded.

“And you? How did it go?”

A groan left Yuuki’s lips as he acknowledged how tired he was from just _that_.

“Pathetic,” he said.

“Don’t be like that.”

Ryuji approached him, and gave him a light knock on the side of his head, to which Yuuki responded with a surprised “ow”.

“I’m gonna lift some weight now,” said Ryuji. “Wanna try?”

“I don’t think I can lift more than five pounds at a time,” admitted Yuuki.

“Then lift five pounds until you can do more,” Ryuji sighed, shaking his head. “C’mon, you’re being too hard on yourself today.”

“I just feel ridiculous in comparison to you.”

That answer made Ryuji stare at him in disbelief.

“Dude…” he said. “I exercise almost every day. People here already know me by name, but you’re just startin’ today. ‘Course I’m more used to it than you!”

When Ryuji put it like that, it seemed so obvious…

“I guess you’re right,” admitted Yuuki.

He felt stupid, but instead of commenting on it, Ryuji simply gave him a pat on the shoulder.

“So, cheer up!” he said. “Channel your inner strength, right?”

Without a warning, Ryuji raised his hands, slapping his own cheeks just like Yuuki had done earlier. He seemed to regret it instantly.

“Ow… This hurt!” he said, massaging his face. “I’m never doing this shit again.”

Yuuki couldn’t help but giggle.

“I think you exaggerated _just a little_…” he commented.

“You have no right to judge me, you weird little shit,” retorted Ryuji.

Ryuji Sakamoto was probably the only person in the entire world who could make the name “weird little shit” sound endearing. Yuuki smiled, and Ryuji placed an arm around his neck, pulling him closer.

“Ah, my bad…” he said, quickly moving away. “I’m all sweaty, ain’t I?”

_No, please continue_ _… For as long as you want to._

“That’s fine,” answered Yuuki, who couldn’t tell anymore if he was closer to melting or bursting. “I got all sweaty too, so it isn’t a big deal.”

Ryuji nodded, seeming relieved.

“So, ready to keep going?” he asked.

Yuuki agreed. He searched the dumbbells for something he could lift with moderate effort, and as much as he already knew he shouldn’t judge himself too hard, it was difficult not to when he looked at those tiny weights in his hands. _Don__’t think about it_, he told himself as he started the exercises under Ryuji’s instructions.

“Stop if it starts hurtin’ okay?” said his friend. “You still gotta get used to it.”

“Alright.”

When Yuuki had a better idea of what to do with that equipment, Ryuji walked to the bench press, adding weights to it and then lifting them under Yuuki’s incredulous stare. How did he do _that_? That thing probably weighed as much as Yuuki himself…

In a second, it was already too late to stop a new wave of thoughts. Yuuki inhaled sharply: with those arms, Ryuji could easily bench press _him_. Or break him in half. Or hold him up against a…

He wanted to scream.

_Exercise_ _… Exercise… Don’t look at Ryuji. Damn, those arms… I said don’t look!_

“Hey, Yuuki…” said Ryuji after a while, placing the weight back at the support.

Panic took Yuuki when he realized he still had his eyes on Ryuji.

“I wasn’t staring,” he said without thinking, hating himself for it.

His words made Ryuji furrow his brow.

“Were you staring?” he asked.

“I just said I wasn’t!”

“Well… that isn’t suspicious at all.”

Yuuki felt his whole face get warm while Ryuji laughed at his embarrassment.

“Stop worryin’, man,” he said. “You’ll be able to lift this in no time if you keep trainin’.”

Oh, so that was how Ryuji interpreted things? Yuuki couldn’t tell if he was more relieved or disappointed.

“I wasn’t worried about that,” he said. “Just thought it was amazing to see you doing it.”

Ryuji didn’t react for a while, and Yuuki wondered if those words had sounded weird.

“I… I see.” Ryuji let out a nervous chuckle. “Amazing, huh? That’s… cool.”

It took Yuuki a second to grasp the idea that _he_ had left Ryuji flustered for a change. He was taken by a feeling of accomplishment that he couldn’t explain — and a mischievous urge to keep going.

“It really is!” Yuuki widened his smile as he spoke. “Even back then, when you were still on the track team, it was always amazing to watch you run! You really were the best of the team.”

_Oh gosh_… Yuuki could almost hear Ryuji’s brain freezing. Maybe he was going too far and would regret it later, but seeing Ryuji like that was too amusing to stop. He approached Ryuji, leaning in his direction.

“Akira also said you’re great when fighting at the Metaverse,” he whispered with an excited expression. “That, whenever you’re around, those shadow things don’t stand a chance. I wish I could see it, but as it is, I can only imagine how—”

Ryuji reached for his face, covering his mouth with a hand without looking him in the eye.

“You can stop now,” he asked in a low voice.

His cheeks were flushed, and Yuuki would be lying if he said he didn’t like that expression. He laughed to himself.

“You really don’t know how to accept a compliment, do you?” he asked.

“I do! It’s just…” Ryuji stared at him, frowning. “Wait… You were doing it on purpose, weren’t you?”

“Yes,” admitted Yuuki. “But I meant every word I said.”

Ryuji didn’t answer, still looking at him, and Yuuki felt the effects of his imprudent words start to torment him.

“Did I go too far?” he asked, averting his gaze.

“No,” answered Ryuji. “It’s okay.”

They spent a few seconds like that, staring at the floor in awkward silence, until Ryuji finally spoke again.

“Well, not like you’re any better with compliments than me,” he said.

Yuuki’s body relaxed, glad that he had finally broken that silence.

“You’re probably right,” he said.

“Probably?” repeated Ryuji in disbelief. “You’re the worst person to compliment I’ve ever met! You just don’t believe anythin’ I tell you!”

“That’s not—”

“It _is_ true,” Ryuji interrupted him. “But since you were a little shit to me just now, I guess that gives me the right to do the same.”

_Oh no_… If Ryuji started to compliment him, Yuuki would probably be reduced to a pile of goo on the floor.

“Please, don’t do that,” he asked. “I’ll be unable to finish my exercises.”

“Fine, fine… I won’t do it,” answered Ryuji with a shrug. “For now.”

Yuuki groaned, but knew he deserved it. Ryuji hugged his shoulders again.

“Can you keep going?” he asked.

Yuuki agreed with a vigorous nod, making him chuckle. From there, they walked together to the treadmills, getting on two that were next to each other. Yuuki started at a slow speed, and compared to everything else he had done that day, the rhythm of a brisk walk was almost relaxing. He was about to comment about it to Ryuji, and turned his gaze to him in a proof that no, he hadn’t learned a single thing from his past mistakes.

He couldn’t tell what exactly made that sight so hot, but… It was, and he didn’t know how to deal with it. He turned his face away quickly, but now he was too aware of how Ryuji looked beside him, and how his breath gradually became heavier and raspier with the effort. Yuuki observed him through the corner of his eyes, his gaze soon falling upon a drop of sweat making its way down Ryuji’s neck and _damn, he was so gay_.

_Stop thinking about him already!_

Frustrated, Yuuki increased the speed of the treadmill. If he still could have thoughts like those, then he wasn’t giving his all to that exercise. He would clean his mind of those images through the power of sheer effort and determination, if he had to.

Ryuji dried the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. _Not enough determination__…_ He parted his lips._ Increase the speed_. A low, tired pant left his friend’s mouth.

_Increase_ _… the… fucking… speed!_

Ryuji turned his face to him, furrowing his brow.

“Hey, Yuuki…” he said. “Aren’t you going too fast?”

“Fast…?” He repeated, confused. “Fast… Oh shit—”

As soon as he realized his mistake, his legs already seemed to have turned into jello. He tried to keep his pace, and, when it failed, he tried to grab the front of the treadmill with both hands. When that also failed, he only had a fraction of second to accept his destiny as he was sent flying, falling on his stomach over the equipment, which pushed his body out of it, as if rejecting him after such an undignified display.

_Absolute defeat._

“Holy shit…! Are you okay?”

Yuuki opened his eyes, only to see Ryuji leaning over him with a concerned face. The gym’s lights illuminated the contour of his body, and Yuuki couldn’t help but think that was probably how heaven looked like.

“Yes… fine,” he answered, still a little dazed. “Very fine… Better impossible.”

Ryuji frowned at his answer.

“You don’t look fine to me…” he said. “Did you hit your head?”

“I think so…?”

“Wait, really? Is it hurtin’?” He pointed at himself. “How many Ryujis are you seein’?”

Yuuki narrowed his eyes in a confused look.

“Ryujis…?” he repeated. “I don’t know any Ryujis…”

Ryuji stared at him wide-eyed, not seeming to know what to do. Yuuki managed to keep his poker face for around two seconds, before a snort finally escaped him. He covered his mouth with a hand, giggling with his entire body as Ryuji’s expression went from worry to confusion, and then to frustration.

“You little bastard!” He gave Yuuki’s arm a light punch. “I was fuckin’ worried about you here!”

“Sorry…” Yuuki had to make an effort to control his laugh. “But I’m fine. Just went too fast.”

A hint of amusement took Ryuji’s face.

“Yeah…” he agreed. “That was kinda incredible to watch.”

Yuuki groaned, embarrassed.

“Please, don’t make fun of me…” he asked.

“My bad,” answered Ryuji with a light chuckle. “But look, there’s no need to push yourself too far. Even if you exercise to exhaustion, you’ll only start to see the results with time.”

Yuuki nodded, not wanting to admit that wasn’t the reason behind his effort.

“But at least you’re fired up about it,” added Ryuji. “Lemme help you get up.”

_Dear Lord_, he was about to hold him in his arms… His big, strong arms. Maybe hold him against his wide chest and lift him from the ground effortlessly, as if Yuuki had the same weight as a stuffed animal. No, he probably wouldn’t do any of that, but now the scene was already engraved in his mind.

“Just… just leave me here for a minute,” asked Yuuki. “I need to catch my breath.”

“Okay. Be right back.”

Yuuki took that time alone to take deep breaths, and allow his _very_ stupid and gay brain to calm down and go back to a functional state. Ryuji came back a minute later, offering him a bottle of water.

“Here,” he said, “take it.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Yuuki sat on the floor, opening the bottle. The cold water gave him some of his life and sanity back. Ryuji watched him for a while, then placed a hand on Yuuki’s forehead, brushing his slightly damp hair away from his face.

“Let’s stop for today, okay?” he said in a low, gentle voice.

Yuuki stared at him, widening his eyes.

“Why?” he asked. “I can keep going!”

But Ryuji simply shook his head in response.

“If you push yourself too far, you’ll just end up all achy tomorrow,” he said. “We should do this just a little each time, until you get more used to it. As long as you don’t give up, your resistance’s gonna increase with time.”

Yuuki lowered his eyes, feeling disappointed, but knowing that he was right.

“Alright,” he said.

“But, y’know…” proceeded Ryuji. “Accident and all, you did pretty good today.”

Yuuki scoffed at his words.

“You’re lying…” he said.

“I’m serious!” insisted Ryuji. “Man, you didn’t see Akira when we first came here. Dude sounded like a fuckin’ vacuum cleaner when he got outta the treadmill. He was so green that I thought I’d have to take him to the hospital.”

“Akira?” Yuuki raised his eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Ryuji laughed. “Don’t let him fool you into thinkin’ he’s cool. He’s just a big nerd inside.”

“I can sympathize with that.”

“Yeah. You’re basically the nerd king.”

Yuuki stared at him in disbelief.

“Which of us has a whole shelf filled with manga in his room?” he asked.

“Isn’t it you?”

“Don’t play innocent!”

Yuuki poked Ryuji’s ribs, and the two of them laughed together for a while.

“Feelin’ better now?” asked Ryuji.

“I think so.”

“Okay, back up then!”

Ryuji got back on his feet, then offered his hand to help Yuuki do the same. As soon as he did, there was a sharp sting on his the back of his leg that made him let out a pained groan. Ryuji looked at him, concerned.

“Did you hurt your leg?” he asked.

“Maybe I strained it with the effort…”

“Want me to help you walk to the bench?”

“I…”

Ryuji leaned in his direction, and for a second Yuuki thought he was going to lift him bride-style, but instead he placed an arm around his waist, allowing Yuuki to lean against his shoulder as they moved. Yuuki sat on the bench, and Ryuji did the same, beside him.

“Do you need some ice?” his friend asked.

“No, it’s already getting better.”

“You sure? Just tell me if you need somethin’.”

Yuuki giggled, happy with all that attention.

“You worry too much,” he said.

“Yeah,” agreed Ryuji, “I have to worry ‘cause you don’t.”

That annoying, but accurate observation made Yuuki pout at him.

“Don’t make that face,” proceeded Ryuji, “you know it’s true.”

“I guess…”

Yuuki made an effort to sound as sulky as possible, and it only served to make Ryuji hug his neck again. His annoyed act crumbled instantly: he loved that small habit of Ryuji’s, of always being close and showing affection in those small gestures. It had taken a while for Yuuki to get used to it, considering the distant and proper manners of his family; however, as he grew accustomed to it, every time Ryuji touched him in that gentle manner, he felt warm inside, as if he was finally receiving something he didn’t even know he had been missing his whole life. Being with him made Yuuki feel… Calm. As if he could relax and be himself when he was with Ryuji, without worrying about being mocked or rejected. As insecure as he was, he didn’t doubt that Ryuji truly liked him.

He was suddenly taken by an urge to touch his friend. Not in one of those many _creative_ ways his mind had come up with earlier, but just… touch him. His face, his hands, his hair… Hold him close, kiss his cheeks, let him rest on his lap. If anything, ignoring those silly desires was even more difficult than repressing his attraction.

“I’m getting hungry…” he mumbled after a while.

“Yeah, exercisin’ does that to you,” said Ryuji, facing him. “Wanna grab somethin’ to eat before going back?”

“My parents would probably get mad if I got home late again.”

He stopped himself. The last time he had trouble with his strict parents was when he lost track of time while spending the afternoon at Ryuji’s home. He didn’t want to make Ryuji feel guilty, but that still seemed to be the case.

“Oh…” said Ryuji in a deflated tone. “They’re still mad about it?”

“Not exactly mad…” tried to say Yuuki. “But sometimes my mother will say something about responsibility and bad influences, and all that.”

Again, he stopped himself too late. Ryuji flinched a little at those words.

“Yeah…” he muttered, averting his gaze. “And I’m pretty sure she meant _me_ by that.”

Yuuki’s chest tightened at that reaction. His parents never tried to hide their disapproval when it came to his friendship with Ryuji, to the point of asking his friend very specific and intrusive questions during his first and only visit to their house. After that, they did what they could to convince Yuuki to get away from that “punk” and make some _good friends_.

That memory was enough to leave a bitter taste in his mouth. For how long was he going to be quiet and let people order him around? His parents, his old classmates, Kamoshida… Was he going to let the same things repeat themselves for his whole life? The thought was scary, but also frustrating… How many important things he would still have to lose before he learned his lesson?

_No, not this time_. Yuuki clenched his fists, letting out a loud sigh.

“You know what?” he said. “I really don’t feel like being an obedient son and going home early, so… Let’s stop somewhere.”

Ryuji looked at him, surprised.

“What?” he said. “Why are you feelin’ rebellious all of a sudden?”

“Just realized it’s useless to work out if I’m still going to let everyone tell me what to do,” he said. “If I’m really getting stronger, then I should start from what matters the most, right?”

For a while, Ryuji did nothing but look at him, and Yuuki was starting to wonder if he had said something weird when his friend showed a light, content smile.

“Wow…” said Ryuji. “You sounded pretty cool right now.”

Yuuki rolled his eyes.

“Stop it…”

“It’s true!” he insisted. “I know it ain’t easy to go against what people think of you, so it’s really cool to see that you decided to do that.”

He felt a strong warmth creep up his neck and cheeks.

“It’s not such a big deal,” he said.

“It is! Stop lettin’ your self-doubt speak for you, okay?” Ryuji looked into his eyes before proceeding. “You really _are_ amazing, Yuuki.”

Yuuki was sure his heart was going to jump out of his chest at any moment. He looked away, unable to deal with how close Ryuji’s face was to his own.

“Are you already getting your revenge?” he asked in a low voice.

“Yeah,” answered Ryuji with a light chuckle. “But I meant it too.”

Yuuki looked at him again, and couldn’t hold back a smile.

“I can’t say I agree,” he said. “But it makes me happy that you’re the one saying it.”

“Really?” asked Ryuji.

“Really.”

“Well, if that’s how it is…”

Ryuji placed his hands on both sides of Yuuki’s head, leaning in his direction until their foreheads were against each other.

“What are you doing?” asked Yuuki, surprised.

“Tryin’ to make it all go inside your head,” answered Ryuji. “It’s like the battle of the ages, Ryuji Sakamoto against Yuuki’s self-esteem.”

Before Yuuki could answer, Ryuji lightly bumped their heads together.

“Yuuki Mishima is a fuckin’ amazing guy,” he said in a paused manner, bumping their foreheads again. “The only problem is that he’s too dense to realize it. He’s—”

“Stop it, Ryuji!”

Ryuji didn’t stop, and with each new word of his, Yuuki became more flustered, until his embarrassment changed into a fit of laughter. He placed his hands over Ryuji’s in a half-hearted attempt of moving them away, tears threatening to leave his eyes as he tried to control himself. When he looked at Ryuji again, his friend was observing him with a fond expression.

“Damn… I love that nose crinkle.”

That comment was so sudden and out of place that Yuuki could do nothing but stare at Ryuji, confused.

“What?” he asked.

Yuuki only realized he was still holding Ryuji’s hands when his friend moved them away. He stared at Yuuki for a while, then looked to the side, his face acquiring a pinkish tone.

“I… said it out loud, didn’t I…?” Ryuji muttered to himself.

Noticing Yuuki’s confused gaze still on him, Ryuji sighed.

“When you smile…” He indicated the corners of his own mouth with a gesture. “But like, a real big smile, you kinda squeeze your eyes shut and crinkle your nose…” He giggled, slightly flustered. “It’s really cute.”

Yuuki’s brain stopped working for a moment, and he simply stared at Ryuji with his mouth half-open. His silence made that light shade of pink in Ryuji’s face turn into a bright red flush.

“Sorry…” Ryuji said, averting his gaze. “Just forget I said that.”

Yuuki absentmindedly reached for his nose, touching the bridge with his fingers. Did he really crinkle it when he smiled? He had never noticed it.

“You like it?” he asked without thinking.

“Uh…?” Ryuji looked at him, then, after finally processing that question, answered. “Yeah. I really do.”

“Ah…”

Yuuki lowered his eyes to his own lap, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.

“That sounded weird, right…?” asked Ryuji after a while.

“No!” answered Yuuki quickly. “It wasn’t weird.” He made a pause, but was unable to find the right words. “Thanks.”

Ryuji didn’t say anything, simply offering him a light smile. Such a simple expression, the kind he got used to seeing every day; still, at that moment, it was full of _something_… of a feeling that was way too familiar to Yuuki, that he had tried to keep quiet inside his chest for far too long. Had it been just his imagination? Had his hopeless crush gotten so high in his head that he was starting to see things? As loud and persistent as his self-doubt could be, he simply couldn’t take Ryuji’s expression out of his mind, and all the possible meanings that came with it.

He knew it was an imprudent thought, but maybe he should gather his courage and tell Ryuji about his feelings. Maybe his friend would understand, and not think that he was a complete weirdo. And maybe, if he was lucky enough, they could even go out on a date… Maybe.

Yuuki liked the idea, as frightening as the possibility of a rejection could be.

“I’m glad I could come here with you today,” he said after a while. “These things that make me nervous always get easier with you around.”

As a response, Ryuji caressed his hair again, in a way that was more affectionate than playful. Yuuki closed his eyes, pleased.

“Then just rely on me as much as you need to,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.”

Yuuki opened his eyes, meeting Ryuji’s gaze on him. His heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt. _He loved him__… He loved Ryuji so much he could barely…_

“Ryuji…” he muttered. “Would you be mad at me if I said that I really want to kiss you?”

Ryuji stayed silent for a moment, but before Yuuki could regret his words, he placed a hand on the side of his neck, leaning in his direction, softly pressing his lips against Yuuki’s.

There was a whistle, followed by a few laughs. They instinctively moved away from each other, seeing two of the gym instructors looking at them with amused smiles. Ryuji playfully told them to fuck off while Yuuki hid his now burning face.

“Sorry, I acted without thinkin’,” said Ryuji, turning his attention back to Yuuki. “Probably shouldn’t have done that in public…”

But Yuuki couldn’t care less about people seeing them.

“You kissed me,” he said.

That surprised observation seemed to catch Ryuji off-guard.

“I thought you wanted it…” he said, nervous.

“I did!”

Yuuki stared at him, trying to find something to say. Maybe how much he longed for that moment, or how important Ryuji was to him. Instead, the only words that left his mouth were:

“Can you do it again?”

Ryuji giggled at that request, caressing Yuuki’s hair as he leaned in for another kiss. This time there were no interruptions, and Yuuki could swear he was about to melt in Ryuji’s arms. When they moved away, Yuuki was unable to contain a wide, goofy smile. Ryuji caressed his cheek with his thumb.

“I never saw someone look this happy after fallin’ from a treadmill…” he murmured.

“Stop reminding me of it!” retorted Yuuki with a small laugh.

Ryuji kissed his cheek, and then his forehead, pulling Yuuki closer until he was leaning against his chest. _Oh God, that was real__… That was really happening… It was almost like a—_

“Nice going, Sakamoto!”

One of those instructors passed by with a grin on his face, startling both of them.

“Go to hell, Tanaka!” answered Ryuji as the guy walked away, laughing.

“They seem to be having fun at our expense,” commented Yuuki.

“Yeah, and we should get outta here before I punch one of them…” Ryuji lowered his eyes, placing a hand on Yuuki’s knee. “How’s your leg?”

Yuuki moved his leg, seeing that it had stopped hurting after those minutes of rest, the pain reduced to nothing but a light sting.

“It’s better now,” he said. “I can walk.”

“That’s good.”

Ryuji gave him another brief kiss on the lips.

“Come,” he said with a smile. “Let’s go take a shower before we leave.”

Yuuki’s smile froze in his face. He tried to keep a neutral expression as his hands became cold and his heart did a somersault. _A shower__… a shower… Oh, fuck…_

He was probably going to die before they even got to their first date.

**Author's Note:**

> The worst thing about writing Yuuki's POV is having to type all of his negative thoughts with my own fingers. Stop it, son... You're beautiful.  
<strike>At least I can get some revenge by making him embarrass himself in front of Ryuji.</strike>
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the fic!


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